Lubricating apparatus for automobiles and the like



Oct. 27, 1931.

G. KRAMER LUBRICATING APPARATUS FOR AUTOMOBILES AND THE LIKE Filed Dec.11, 1929 PKra/rzer ATTOR NEV Patented Qct. 1931 v UNITED. STATES PATENTOFFICE GEORGE KRAMER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.. ASSIGlSfbR TO MARIE SELMAKRAJKER, OF NEW YORK, 1w. Y.

unmcarime arramrus ron; AUTOMOBILES Ann m LIKE Application filedDecember 11, 1929. Serial No. 413,378.

This invention relates to lubricating devices and articularly to systemsadapted to apply a 111 ricant under pressure to surfaces requiringlubrication.

The general object of the present invention is to provide an improvedmeans for attaining pressure lubrication to a part to be lubricated sothat the lubricator is held firmly while in communication .with thesurface to be lubricated during the process of supplying the lubricantunder pressure.

A further object is to provide an improved means for attaching thedelivery end of a pressure lubricator to a suitable nippie'or receivingopening in such a fashion that thelubricator may be easily andconveniently detached.

Another object is to provide an improved I attaching means for thedelivery end of a pressure lubricator which does not become detachedwhile lubricant under pressure is being supplied to the part to beluoricatedq A further object is to provide a means for attaching apressure lubricator in which the joints are tight against leakage oflubricant and prevents the lubricant from being spread over the outsideof the opening or nipplev through which the lubricant is supplied to thepart to be lubricated.-

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafterspecifically pointed out, or. will become apparent, as the specificationproceeds.

With the above indicated objects in view,

the invention resides in certain novel constructions and combinationsand arrangement of parts, clearly described in the followingspecification and fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whichlatter show embodiments of the invention as at present preferred. Insaid drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical elevation of the present invention showing themeans for attaching the lubricator in positionready to be. inserted overthenipple through'which lubricant is passed to the surfaces to belubricated.

Figure 2 is a vertical section showing the delivery end of the pressurelubricator 1n engagement with the nipple for the purpose of insertinglubricant under surfaces to be lubricated.

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the delivery end of thelubricator showing the pressure to the .-relation of the parts in theretracted position inaccessible or otherwise, of various machines suchas automobiles, for instance, by means of lubricant such as 'oil orgrease under pressure in order to insure the penetration of thelubricant to all'pa-rts of the surface to be lubricated. Such lubricatorcommonly comprise some form of pressure applying means such as a pistonactuated by a screw, the piston moving within a cylinder and acting uponoil or grease contained in the cylinder, so as to 70. drive thelubricant under a high pressure to a part in communication with thecylinder. The pressure lubricator is usually connected to the part orsurfaces to be lubricated through the medium of a flexible tube capableof withstanding the high pressure produced and is commonly attached to asuitable nipple by means of a detachable connector permit- Y ting easyand convenient attachment to or detachment from the nipple. It is thegeneral purpose of this invention to provide a novel arrangement ofparts which provides a positive and efiicient means for attaching thedelivery end of the tube from the pressure lubricator to the part orsurface to be lubricated. t {Figures 1 and 3 show the generalarrangement of the delivery end of-the tube from the pressure lubricatorwhile Figure 2 shows the relative positions'of the parts while the lubricator is being used to supply lubricant under.

pressure. I v

The reference character 10.represents a nipple which is screwed firmlyinto-a hole 11a communicating with the parts to be lubricated. Thenipple 10 is provided with a flange 10a for the purpose of rendering thenipple pressure tight which bears firmly against the outside surface 11ofthe part to which the nipple is applied. The barrel 10' 1 of thenipple 10 is provided with an internal chamber 100 housing a springabutting at its lower end against an internal flange 10d formed in thenipple 10.

The upper end of the nipple 10 is formed substantially as shown inFigures 1 and 2 with a conical surface 10; and a shoulder 109 for apurpose to be explained later. A ball 12 lies within the enlargementformed in the interior of the nipple 10 below the opening in the end ofthe nipple and is spring urged upwardly by means of a spring 14, so asto close the hole or opening in the end of the nipple. The ball 12 actsas a check valve to prevent escape of lubricant through the nipple afterthe pressure applied by the piston has been removed and acts in an oldand wellknown manner.

The delivery end of the pressure lubricator is attached to the nipple 10by means comprising a barrel 15 slidably and rotatably mounted upon amember to which is connected the tube leading to the pressure chamber ofthe lubricator. The circumferential and axial movement of the barrel 15is restricted by means of L-shaped slots cut in opposite sides of ahexagonal enlargement 15a of the barrel, the slots embracing a pin 17projecting through the member 18 to which the tube leading from thechamber of the pressure lubricator is attached. The construction is suchthat tliepin 17 normally occup'ies a position in the extreme upper endsof the L-shaped slots 16 and is held there under the influence of aspring.

The member 18 is inserted in a chamber 19 formed in the enlarged portion15a of the barrel 15. A slidable member 20 provided with a centralpassage 20a for permitting lubricant to pass through, is held by meansof a spring against the shoulder 19' formed by.

the constriction of the passage through the barrel 15. The lower portionof the member 20 is provided with two flanges 21 and 22 adapted toco-operate with the upper end of the nipple 10 in a manner to be moreclearly explained later. Interposed between the member 18 and the member20 is-a coil spring 23 which is seated in flanged packing rings 24 and25, the effect of the spring being to keep the member 20 firmly againstits seat which consists of the constriction 19 and at the same timekeepsthe pin 17 normally in engagement with the upper end of the slot 16formed in the enlargement 15a of the barrel 15. This construction isvery clearly shown in Figure 3 in which the parts are in their normalposition with the barrel 15 out of engagement with the nipple 10.

The barrel 15 is adapted to be attached to the nipple 10 and for thatpurpose is provided with a cut-away portion at its lower end whichpermits the barrel to be placed over the nipple. The cut-away portioncomprises a cylindrical portion 29 adapted to fit against the clindrical ortion 10' of the barrel of the mpple 10 an is also provldedwith a cutaway portion 30 of the same general contour as the conicalsurface 107' and the cylindrical surface 10g formed in the head orenlargement in the upper end of the nipple 10. This construction isclearly shown in Figures 1, 3'and 4; from which it will be seen that thegeneral contour of the cuts 29 and 30 is such that the outline of thehead of the nipple 10 has been exactly re roduced so as to permit thebarrel 15 to be s id sidewise over the head of the nipple 10.

The pressure lubricator may be constructed in any desired manner and hasbeen shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. As it forms no part of thisinvention it needs no further description herein. It is sufficient tomention that a suitable tube 31 connects.

the pressure chamber of the lubricator 32 to the member 18 by means of asuitable union which may be screwed into the threaded portion 33 intherupper end of the member 18.

The delivery end of the tube 31 from the pressure lubricator 32 isattached to the nipple 10 in the following manner for the purpose ofinserting lubricant: The barrel 15 is grasped in the hand and thecut-away portion in the lower end is first brought to a position to oneside of the head of the nipple 10. The barrel is then moved sidewise tothe left as viewed in Figures 2 and 3 until the head of the nippleenters the opening with the cylindrical portion 10 of the barrel of thenipple 10 lying in the cut-away portion 29 and the surfaces 10f and 10gco-acting with the cutaway portions 30. The barrel 15 may now be movedstill further sidewise, that is to the left as illustrated in Figures 2and 3. During the further-movement of the barrel 15 in this manner theconical surface 10f will engage the lower edge of the flange 21 formedin member 20 which projects downwardly sufliciently to lie in the pathof motion of the conical surface 10;, and will cam the member 20upwardly against the pressure of the springr23 until the rear wall ofthe cut-away portion in the lower end of the barrel 15 stops furthermovement of the barrel. When the barrel 15 reachesthis point the flange22 will overlie the opening in the end of the nipple 10 and the pressureof the spring 23 will cause the member 20 to snap down until the flange21 rests on the conical surface 10f of the nipple 10 while the flange 22will enter the opening in the end of the nipple, at the same timeforcing the ball 12 away from its seat slightly. The flange 22 is madeof a sufficient length and external diameter so as to permit it to fitsmoothly within the opening in the end of the nipple 10.

When the member 18 has become seated with its flange 22 within theopening in the end of the nipple 10 the parts are locked in thefollowing manner: The member 18 is pushed downwardly manually until thepin 17 strikes the circumferential portions 16' and 16" of the L-shapedslots 16 whereupon the barrel 15 may be given a slight turn cause. ingthe pin 17 to enter the circumferential portions 16' and 16 When thebarrel is released the pressure of the spring 23 will tend to move themember 18 upward but such motion will be prevented owing to the pin 17occupying the circumferential portions 16' and 16" of the slots 16. Thestrong compression force due to thespring 23 will press the member 20firmly against the conical surface f of the nipple 10 and will not onlylock the .parts together preventing the barrel from.

being slid sidewise away from the nipple 10 but will also make the jointtight against escape of the lubricant which may now be applied underpressure.

In order to remove the delivery end of the tube supplying lubricant itis merely necessary to turn the barrel back until the axial portionsof-the slots 16 coincide with the pin 17, permit the pin 17 to riseunder the influence of the spring 23 to its normal position at the upperend of the slots 16 and then slide the barrel sideways in the oppositedirection to that in which it was placed on the end of the nipple 10,applying sufiicient pressure to lift the member 20 by the camming actionof the conical surface 10f;

The packing rings 24 and are provided for the purpose of making thechamber containing the spring 23 tight against the escape of lubricantunder pressure. As stated before, the flanges 21 and 22 co-operate withthe nipple 10 to prevent escape of lubricant through the joint formed bythe nipple 10 and member 20., The packing-rings 24 and 25 may be of anydesired resilient materialsuch as rubber, or leather.

The hereinbefore described construction admits of considerablemodification without departing from the invention; therefore, it is thedesire not to be limited to the precise arrangements shown anddescribed, which verse to its axis to engage said nipple. said barrelbeing provided with a conical surface and shoulder complementary to thesurface of holding said barrel in locking engagement- 2. In means forattaching a pressure lubricator to a part to be lubricated thecombination of a nipple including a check. valve carriedby the part tobe lubricated; a barrel adapted to engage and be locked in engagementwith said nipple, said barrel being cut away at its lower end so as tobe movable transversely of its axis into engagement with said nipple; amember movable relative to and supporting said barrel, said member beingcapable of a longitudinal and circumferential movement limited by meansinclud ing a pin and a slot; a locking member carried within said barreland adapted to cooperate with said nipple and said movable -member forthe purpose of holding said barrel in locking engagement with saidnipple; and means interposed between said movable member and saidlockingmember for holding said locking member in locking position, said meansincluding a spring and packing for rendering said attaching means tightagainst escape oflubricant- 3. A device for attaching a pressurelubricator to a part to be lubricated, the combination of a nipplehaving a conical outer surface, 'a check valve in. said nipple, abarrelmovable in a direction transverse to its axis to engage said nipple, amovable member within said barrel above said nipple, spring means insaid barrel urging said movable member to seating engagement upon saidnipple, a lubricant supply member extending into said barrel above saidspring, said lubricant supply member and said movable member havingpassages in alignment with said nipple valve, locking means to securesaid lubricant supply member and said barrel together with said springurging said movable member tightly against said nipple, said movablemember having a conical surface to engage the conical surface of saidnipple.

4. A device as specified in claim 3 in which the movable member includesa flanged portion to cooperate with the upper. end of the nipple and aportion to enter said nipple and unseat'said check valve.

In testimony whereof I hereby aifix my signature.

GEORGE and shoulder on said nipple; springurged means forholding saidbarrel in engagement with said nipple; and means comprising a membercapable of movement in two directions relative to said barrelfor thepurpose

